


Logic and Trickster - Act 8

by Logic_and_Trickster



Series: The Phantom Thieves Meet Phoenix Wright - Logic and Trickster [9]
Category: Persona 5, 逆転裁判 | Gyakuten Saiban | Ace Attorney
Genre: Crossover
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-09-01
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:00:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 19,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25531747
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Logic_and_Trickster/pseuds/Logic_and_Trickster
Summary: Be sure and follow the project on Twitter for updates!https://twitter.com/logic_and_trickAt long last: the Phantom Thieves are back. Their objective is to enter the Metaverse to find out more about the mysterious contracts their enemy, the Director, seems to be able to manipulate in some way. This time, new members are coming along for the ride. Phoenix, Maya, and the Interpol Team are all suited up to be honorary thieves, complete with their new codenames! They will stay within the Mona Bus to support the team remotely.A palace that isn't truly a palace... a "Facade." This Facade has been created by the influence of the Director on Kaz Mizusawa through some sort of means related to Cognitive Psience, and entering Mizusawa's Facade is the best way to investigate this matter. Joker leads his team through a pulse-pounding infiltration through Mizusawa's cognition of a military base, sneaking with style like secret agents. What exactly is a contract, and how will they look for it? These questions will have to be put on hold, as Joker and his friends are brutally reminded just how dangerous the Metaverse can be.
Series: The Phantom Thieves Meet Phoenix Wright - Logic and Trickster [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1612450
Comments: 34
Kudos: 48





	1. Chapter 8-1: Good to Be Back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now that it has been discovered that the Little Thief can successfully use the MetaNav App, the Phantom Thieves and their new allies know their next goal: infiltrating the palace belonging to Kaz Mizusawa. They know that, in some way, this man has a connection to 'The Director,' who could very well be a pseudonym for a prominent enemy at the head of this international conspiracy. Though the Phantom Thieves are energized to be back in action once more, there is no denying that this infiltration will be a dangerous one, especially with the necessity of watching out for and protecting the legal team and the Interpol team along the way. Quick thinking on Phoenix's part may have devised their way into the palace, but before anything else there is an important matter to settle: picking codenames for the new members!

_April 13th, 2:47 pm_

_Suramā Prison Facility, Visiting Area_

\---Music: [ Wicked Plan (P5) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdimY1_Vh1U)\---

So, back in the lobby, everyone seems to be mentally preparing in their own ways for what's to come. Within the hour, we're going to reach the location where there will supposedly be the grounds to form a "palace." It seems to be weighing heavily on the minds of the Phantom Thieves in the room. It's clear to see that the Metaverse was something none of them ever expected to come back in such a way. They are all dealing with the news in their own ways, ranging from excitement to apprehension.

"Hang on, guys," I stop, "Before we leave, there's another inmate I want to talk to."

"Shido, right?" Kay infers, "The reformed guy?"

"That's right, Miss Faraday," I confirm, "A lot has happened since we last spoke, and I have a feeling he may have some kind of insight for us."

"Roger that. Also, you can just call me Kay! We're friends and teammates now, right?" Kay grins.

"I'm totally for that," the blonde one, Ryuji, throws out, "I can't keep up with all of this 'mister' and 'missus' stuff. Let's just use first names, yeah?"

"I say we drop all the honorifics in general!" Ritsu smiles amiably, "It's way too stiff for me."

"That would certainly simplify things," Edgeworth agrees, "Though I am not accustomed to going by 'Miles.' If it's all the same to you, just 'Edgeworth,' shall suffice."

"My last name's a lot cooler than my first, so 'Gumshoe' for me, pals!" our trusty detective establishes.

"I'm not picky, either," I share, "Mr. Wright, Phoenix, Nick… whatever works."

"I'm definitely down with being on a first name basis. Just call me Maya!" my partner weighs on the subject.

I rally us back to what we were discussing. "With that all out of the way, let's ask the guards if we can speak with Shido-san."

As before, we make ourselves a bit more sparse by only a few of us going in to see the inmate. In the meantime, both Edgeworth's group as well as Niijima-san and Mishima-san wanted to be briefed on what to expect out of the Metaverse, as they know the least about it. This time it's only Maya and myself, as well as Akira and Morgana.

Shido is led into the room, and upon seeing us, he looks pleasantly surprised. "Ah! I see that your two groups have gotten together after all."

Akira nods. "We're all going to be assisting each other in our investigations."

"That's superb, in my book!" Shido smiles, "I can tell that the matter is in extremely capable hands. If you don't mind my asking, have you discovered anything new?"

"Go ahead and pull up a chair," I suggest, "We've got a whole lot more to talk about."

\---Music: [ Telling the Truth 2007 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8vJZIwZipE)\---

Yeesh, where to even begin. While I'm trying to figure out which topics to touch first, Akira takes the initiative. "We've discovered quite a bit more about who our enemies may be. Whoever is leading this whole operation seems to call themselves the 'Director.' We have a couple of leads as to who that could be, or at least as to people who may be able to lead us to them. But, what we know as of now, is that the Director is putting out all kinds of shady job contracts on the darknet."

"Akira, tell him about the Orbs," Morgana pitches next.

"Did that cat just talk?" Shio asks--rather plainly, all things considered.

Morgana blinks. "He can hear me now too?" 

"Oh! Morgana, you have the Orb of Heart in your necklace," Maya reminds him, "I think anyone who gets close to or exposed to that spiritual energy might be able to hear you."

"You must be right," he replies, "I guess I should really keep my mouth zipped when out in public from now on, huh…"

"You say 'Orb,'" Shido repeats, "By chance would you be referring to the pearl that we spoke of? Were you able to find it? May I… see it?"

Akira clicks Morgana's collar open, revealing that unearthly glowing light.

"Just as I remember it…" he comments in awe. "I'm glad you were able to obtain it without trouble."

Morgana shakes his head. "Well, someone was trying to buy it off of the curator, so Akira actually was forced to attempt to steal it. A lot of stuff happened… but here we are."

"Someone was going to buy it?" Shido reaffirms, "Do you know who? Or why?"

*!*

"I suppose we never really looked into that…" Maya comments, "I don't really know how we could possibly know. Whoever it was must never have showed up that night? Or maybe they heard the alarm and scrammed."

"So someone out there knows of its value. I shouldn't be surprised," Shido mumbles to himself. "Were you able to find out if this item has powers of any sort?"

"This orb is assuredly supernatural," I endorse, "It seems to be called the 'Orb of Heart,' and I suppose you're seeing its influence first hand. It was one of two core components which at some point fused to create the Metaverse. To my understanding, it allows access to our hearts in the sense of emotion and feeling. I think Morgana here is proof enough, since everyone coming into contact with the Orb is able to hear what he's feeling."

Shido holds his chin as he processes the information. "Fascinating… but does it have anything to do with the potential criminal acts we are worried about? If you have the Orb in your possession, there's no way that someone else could be using its powers, right?"

"There's a second Orb," Akira elaborates, "I was able to meet with a lingering remnant of Wakaba Isshiki, and she told me that there were two Orbs in total. The 'Orb of Mind,' is what the second one is called. We're thinking that one may allow control over the minds of those who are exposed to it. That's the most reasonable explanation we can come up with for all of the bizarre murders and betrayals. It's almost a certainty that, whatever that Orb does, our enemies have it."

We're all in deep thought right now. "Tell me," Shido finally speaks, "The Orb of Mind was the other core component, yes? If I'm understanding, then in some way the two Orbs together were what created the Metaverse."

"Yep, you got it," Maya affirms, "And when the Metaverse was 'destroyed,' the Orbs turned back into their original forms."

"Hmm… I suppose Hibiki-san must have never realized the Orb disappeared for the entire time that the Metaverse had existed," Shido reasons. "Had I been keeping this Orb myself, I would have immediately noticed it disappear. But I suppose that is neither here nor there, as long as the Orb is in your possession."

"We're actually going to look into whether or not the Metaverse truly exists still," Akira further clarifies, "There's still a lot we don't know about the Orb and what it does."

\---Music: [ Logic Trinity (AA5) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQpdHIaIe-4)\---

Shido scratches his chin. "So I was ruminating on these matters for quite some time after we last spoke. I think I may recall the name of a person who could help to understand more about it."

"Oh?" Morgana probes.

"I recall a colleague of Isshiki-san's from back in the days of her research. She was an American psychologist named Metis Cykes. I only vaguely remember her, and it took me a while to recollect her name since she was only ever in Japan a few times. However, I do know that she and Isshiki-san collaborated on a handful of projects together, and the two kept remote contact here and there. There's a chance that Cykes-san may have notes or memories of Isshiki-san's research in some capacity. They had very high opinions of one another, so I trust that she may be the only one out there who could potentially help you to analyze the capabilities of that Orb."

Maya seems to have already gotten on her phone. "Hey, Nick! She seems to be in California like us! We could find the institution she works at pretty easily. Maybe we should take a return trip home to hit this lady up?"

"Now there's a thought," I consider, "I can look into getting some tickets for us to head back later in the week. Though I hesitate to take more multi-timezone flights… we'll have to drag my sleep schedule along, kicking and screaming…"

\---(Music End)---

"That sounds like as good a lead as any," Morgana muses, meowing with content. "Thank you for the info, Shido-san!"

"Think nothing of it," he smiles softly, "I may not be able to do much from behind this glass, but you can count on my support in whatever ways I can provide it."

"Well, we should get a move on. I know the others are going to be anxious," Akira reminds us. He bows, and we all bow to him in turn. 

"Good luck, everyone," Shido wishes us, as we head out, "And be careful. We still don't know who this Director is and what they are capable of. So please, stay safe."

"Man… you can hardly tell that guy was once the most evil person imaginable," Morgana speaks on the side as we leave, "Knowing that he has reformed into such a good person just reminds me how much of a difference we made as Phantom Thieves back in the day."

"Depending on how the rest of the day goes," Akira begins with a smirk, "The Phantom Thieves may be back in the game."

There's an empty stretch of hallway leading from the visitation room back to the lobby, leaving us walking down a rather private area. I hear the voice of… Yashin? It sure sounds like her. I turn and see her approaching our group. "Funny seeing you here again, Mr. Wright," she calls. 

\---Music:[ Rainy Rose (God Hand) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9_hVK_qNzE)\---

Her toothy grin stands out all the more as she closes her eyes to smile in a friendly manner. As before, she's still in her white business suit with the grey vest underneath it, with her white-on-one-side-black-on-the-other bowtie. Her hair, still very distinctly white like her suit, has those grey lines going through them. I know I just saw her earlier today, but now that I'm not as laser focused as I was in courtroom-mode, her appearance strikes me with a sense of familiarity that I didn't notice before.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," she jokes, "It hasn't even been half a day, yet you seem so surprised to see me."

"My apologies," I backtrack, careful not to stare too intently this time, "I'm just thinking to myself that you look very similar to your dad. I remember I saw Kigeki Yokubō on a news broadcast the other day. I didn't realize you were related to him, but the resemblance looks obvious now that I know.."

"Yep," she nods, "We both look good in white, always have. I was almost a politician like him, but he settled on me going into law instead once he realized-- er, I'm sorry. I've gotten off topic. I was just chiming in to say hi. Are you still working together with Niijima-san on a case?" she asks.

"In a manner of speaking, yes," I answer, "She's in the lobby right now waiting for us to get back, if you want to swing by and say hello."

"I appreciate the cordiality," she smiles, "I don't know if I have quite that much time to spare, I need to get Hebi Hibiki into the interrogation room for further questioning. I really had one thing in particular I wanted to ask you about. I certainly didn't mean to eavesdrop, but when the doors opened and you left the visiting room, I heard the last couple of words. Did one of you all mention someone called 'the Director?'"

*!*

Oh man… none of us can think of precisely how to answer her question, given the subject material is something we'd been keeping secretive about. "We were talking about Masayoshi Shido's least favorite movie," Akira responds casually, trying to keep it cool, "He's very opinionated on the director of the film."

Her lips shift a bit as she looks at us curiously. "Hmm. From the tone of voice I had assumed the conversation had a little more substance than cinema critique," she analyzes. "Eh. I shouldn’t have been listening in, anyway. Well, I’ll let you folks get back to your day. Take it easy, alright?"

\---(Music End)---

We part ways in opposite directions, keeping quiet until she's no longer in earshot. "That was… weird," Morgana comments.

"With how she asked about the Director, it felt like she had an idea of what we could have been talking about," Maya reflects.

"She definitely knows more than she lets on," Akira adds, "I've been wanting to ask her up front why she never mentioned my criminal history in the trial today. That's a risky question to ask, though. If I'm assuming wrong, and she actually doesn't know, I'd basically be turning myself in by admitting that."

"If she _does_ know that you're a Phantom Thief, but never mentioned it, doesn't that seem like she'd be helping us?" Maya asks, making a good point in the process. "We've already got Ritsu and Edgeworth involved… is there a chance that Yashin may be willing to help us, too?"

"Now that's a tough call," I respond, "She's really perceptive… she'd make a good ally."

"Let's just keep our eyes on her, for now," Akira suggests, "We have enough on our plates as it stands."

"So, we're off to Mizusawa's office now, right?" Maya asserts.

"No time like the present," I smile, "Let's get back with the rest of the group and get organized before we head out."

_April 13th, 3:00 pm_

_Outside Kaz Mizusawa's Office_

\---Music: [ Restlessness (P5) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9LIt2xh_gU)\---

Well, here we are. The address Mizusawa gave us led straight to his office… "Mizusawa Private Security Agency," is what the label says. It's not excessively large; room enough for an office as well as a seated area for waiting customers, I'd imagine. 

"This is bigger than I thought it would be," Maya expresses, "I pictured more of a 'small section in a larger strip mall,' type deal."

"To have an office space this big in Ginza is remarkable," the brown haired girl, Makoto, points out.

"He must not have been lying about being well off!" Alibaba-- er, Futaba, comments. It's going to take me a while to get used to calling her by her real name. 

"Should we have a role-call to make sure everyone is here?" the fluffy haired Haru requests.

The Phantom Thieves are all named, and they each respond. Ryuji, who goes by Skull, Ann, the blonde with pigtails who goes by Panther. Yusuke, or Fox, the blue haired artist. Makoto, their senior who they address as Queen. Futaba, also known as Oracle, the navigator. Haru, the cheerful girl who named herself Noir. Of course, Akira and Morgana as well. "By the way, I never really stopped to ask," I speak to them, "Do the two of you have code names as well?"

"I'm Mona," Morgana explains, "And Akira is Joker."

Noted. Then we've got our group. Myself, Maya, Edgeworth, Gumshoe, and Kay. Ritsu as well, can't forget him. Then, lastly, we round out with Sae, Mishima, and Sojiro.

"We're kinda standing out, being a huge group and all," Ann mentions, "And I doubt that we're all going to be going into the Metaverse here. We have too many… what's a good word to use? 'Civilians,' maybe?"

"For lack of a better term," Yusuke agrees, "There's a clear distinction between those of us who are Phantom Thieves and those of us who are not."

"I mean, I get that," Ryuji diverts, "But we kick all KINDS of ass. I'm sure we can easily clear the path so they can just follow along after us, right?"

"So, I get that this 'Metaverse' place is dangerous, or something," Gumshoe speaks, "But whatever happens, I'm coming with you, pals! Someone's gotta look after you!"

"I'm going, too," Ritsu asserts. "I get the impression things are going to get ugly in there. If that's the case, I want to be there to protect everyone."

"Don't worry about me," Sojiro chuckles, "This kind of thing is a little out of my league. I'm just here because we're in multiple cars and needed another driver to get everyone home when this is finished."

"Much as I loathe to admit, I think I'm on the same boat," Sae comments, "Though maybe things will be different if you teach me some of your martial arts, Makoto."

Makoto smiles, "I'm sure you'll pick up on akkido quickly, sis. But that's a good call. I think that those of us without Metaverse experience, or without police training, should stay here."

"That's for the best," I agree, "I wouldn't want any of us getting hurt."

Mishima has a sad look on his face. "I'm no good with my arm in a sling like this, so I'd be sitting out either way… still, though. I've been a fan of the Phantom Thieves since day one! Could I… at least get to see what the Metaverse is like?"

"Yeah, seriously!" Maya jumps in, "After all this, you've gotta at least show us a LITTLE bit of what this whole Metaverse thing is like."

"I too wish to bear witness to this," Edgeworth announces, "So we should move right along with this process and see what this Metaverse is all about."

The thieves speak amongst themselves a bit, before Akira addresses us. "As long as we're outside of the palace, it shouldn't hurt to let you guys take a look."

He takes out his smartphone to give it one last try. "Metaverse cannot be located," the voice predictably chimes. Just like we realized, everyone else's phone won't allow them to use the app, for some reason. That just leaves one last person who can though.

We all turn to look at Edgeworth's younger partner, the de-facto leader of their 'Yatagarasu' group. "Kay, could you show us that device again? Your Little Thief?" Akira calls.

She pulls out the device, which looks kinda like a clunky remote control. She clicks the app on the screen, and the Meta-Nav appears. "Alright! So, if I've got this right… we need a name, a location, and a distortion! So let's give this a shot."

Thankfully, we should know all three of those things now. Now all Kay has to do is say them to the app. "'Kaz Mizusawa,' 'office,' and 'base!'"

\---(Music End)---

Whoa… the world feels like it's turning into jelly…! I feel a surreal kind of unease that batters against me rhythmically as if I'm being hit by the ripples of a big splash. I feel a bit nauseous, but then…

_April 13th, 3:10 pm_

_Fort Kaz, Exterior_

Wait. Holy cow! It's night time now! Out of thin air, the building that we were standing a ways away from… actually is a gigantic military base! The exterior is guarded by barbed wire fences, surrounding tremendous concrete walls as if a double-layered deterrent to keep people out completely. 

This is seriously unreal! It's really clear to see who has been in the Metaverse before and who hasn't, just judging by the reactions everyone is having. And… judging by how all of the Phantom Thieves are now in completely different clothing, and all wearing masks.

\---Music: [ Invitation to Freedom ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uxf-m8yB6nQ)\---

"Hahahaha!" Ryuji cheers, tugging at his shirt and getting comfortable in his outfit. He's dressed in leather like a biker, and his mask certainly matches his namesake of 'skull.' "Baby, it is GOOD to be back!" he cheers.

I take a moment to get used to the new appearances of the others. Futaba is in a black suit with glowing green highlights like something out of a sci-fi movie. Ann is in a red bodysuit with a panther mask and a thin tail. Yusuke is dressed kind of like a ninja with a fox mask and also with a tail, though a fluffier one than Ann's. Haru is dressed like a french noble, with a tipped hat, black mask, and looks like she could give Edgeworth a few fashion tips on how to wear frilly neckwear. Makoto looks even more like a biker than Ryuji does, oddly enough. 

Akira is wearing almost all black, with a lengthy tail coat, red gloves, and a mask that almost looks like one a harlequin would wear. All together, their whole group oozes the type of flair I should have expected from a group calling themselves Phantom Thieves.

\---(Music End)---

WHOA! There's… some kind of bobble headed creature with a tail and a black mask! It looks like… a cat… kind of?

"Er," I speak as I stumble backwards, "Morgana, is that you?"

I must have been the first to notice, because now that I've drawn attention to him the others are becoming shocked as well. "I probably should have warned you all that this is my real form… sorry if that startled anyone," he apologizes.

Sojiro rubs the back of his head in wide-eyed awe. "I can't believe this is the kind of thing that you kids were doing the whole time you were Phantom Thieves. To think that you were all actually going to parallel worlds…"

"WOW! INCREDIBLE!" Mishima shouts, nearly squealing, "I finally get to see the Metaverse!! THIS IS SO COOL!!"

"So… how come Little Thief lets me use this app, but nobody else can?" Kay asks.

"Allow me to share my hypothesis from earlier," Edgeworth announces. "The Little Thief was designed for the recreation of crime scenes. The Orb of Heart possessed by our friend Morgana was formerly one of the core components of this supposed Metaverse, but it alone is not powerful enough to take the form of the Metaverse authentically."

"Is it not becoming the Metaverse right now, though, Mr. Edgeworth?" Gumshoe asks.

"You would be forgiven for thinking as much," Edgeworth explains, tapping his finger against his brow with one eye closed in a very confident, knowledgeable pose, "But I believe what we see before us may very well be simply a recreation of such. And in any case, my deduction can be proven quite simply if we just take a look into the jewelry Morgana carries."

We all turn to see Morgana pop open the locket within his necklace. The Orb of Heart is still inside of it, and it radiates with almost cosmic distortions.

"I see... so if this truly were the Metaverse, the Orb would no longer be here, as it would have changed back into its metaphysical form?" I imply.

"Indeed," he confirms.

"So if it isn't truly the Metaverse… shouldn't we come up with a name for whatever this place is?" Yusuke suggests.

"Maybe the 'Psuedoverse?'" Maya pitches.

"Since the Little Thief is making it, how about the 'Littleverse!'" Kay suggests cheerily.

"I kinda like the idea of calling it 'The Crime Scene,'" detective Ritsu proposes, ever the fan of crime noir.

"That one sounds pretty cool!" Morgana nods.

"We can finalize the name later," Akira announces, and we can tell by the assertive tone in his voice that he's ready to get down to business. "For now, we need to separate those of us who will be infiltrating from those who will stay behind at the cars."

"You kids watch your backs, and don't do anything stupid," Sojiro cautions gravely. I can tell he's deeply concerned for their safety, as any good guardian would be, but even stronger than his fear seems to be his trust in them. 

Sae mirrors the sentiment. "But be careful. I'm counting on all of you coming back safe and sound."

"Ditto!" Mishima nods, "But I know you guys will handle everything just fine. Get in there and kick some ass!"

Well, it's clear that these three are bowing out. What isn't clear is where that leaves Maya and myself, and Edgeworth's group.

\---Music: [ VR Mission - Tuxedo (Metal Gear Solid 2) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUVG8kluIYo)\---

"Alright, team," Akira beckons, "We need to lay the groundwork of what we're here to do today."

The Phantom Thieves all gather around in a loose circle, as if huddled together. "Shouldn't it be the same as always?" Futaba asks, "Find the treasure that's causing the palace to exist?"

Morgana has his eyes closed. "I don't know if it's going to be that simple. Something feels… different. I can't put my paw on what, though."

"Hey, guys," Maya calls. It looks like she's… glowing, a bit? "I can feel that this is Mizusawa's spirit we are inside, now. It's really clear. But I feel like someone else's spirit is in here, too. Really faintly… but that other spirit I feel is causing a lot of turmoil in Mizusawa."

"Maya… what do you mean?" Haru questions, "How can you tell something like that?"

"Oh, Maya is a spirit medium," I explain, "Maybe we haven't mentioned it because it didn't come up until now… but, well, channeling spirits is what she does."

"For real?!" Ryuji blinks, "That's kinda wicked cool, to be honest."

Yusuke holds his chin and thinks. "Perhaps reading Mizusawa's spirit could lead us to the treasure causing the distortion more easily?"

"There's definitely something causing this change in his spirit," Maya confirms, "But it feels like something, or someone, else is putting pressure on Mizusawa. Like there's another force at work here."

"I can feel the same thing, Maya," Morgana agrees, "And I think it might have to do with the fact that Mizusawa said he was under a 'contract,' remember? If someone really is using the Orb of Mind to force people into doing things, that should have some sort of reflection on their cognition. Maybe we're not looking for a treasure, but for something else entirely… Maya, how strongly can you feel that presence?"

She sticks her tongue out and squints her eyes with an intense attempt at concentrating. "This sensation… I think it will get stronger if we get closer to what's causing it."

"Well, team," Morgana curves around, "I think she's right. I'm from the Metaverse, so part of it feels intuitive to me. But there's no way I could pin down something specifically causing a disturbance here. I think Maya being a spirit medium may be a big help to us. Maya, would you be willing to come along with us?"

"Of course!" she calls emphatically, "Just lead the way!"

"Hang on," Akira stops us, "We just talked about not doing anything to put our non-combatants in danger. Maya, can you hold yourself in a fight? Know how to use any weapons?"

"We might need to take Kay along as well," Futaba/Oracle reasons, "The Little Thief device is the thing supporting this world's existence, and there's no telling how far that influence can stretch. It would be pointless to enter at all if there's a chance for us to extend outside of its range and end up back in the real world, wouldn't it?"

Akira holds his chin with one hand while keeping the other in his pocket. "So we may need to bring both Kay and Maya…"

"If that's the case, then no sweat, pal!" Gumshoe speaks up proudly, thumping his chest, "You Phantom Thieves can do your Phantom Thief things, but with detective Ritsu 'n' me here, the two of us can look after whoever we need to!"

"Which just leaves the two of us," Edgeworth states, looking at me. "What say you, Wright?"

"I'd hate to come this far only to stay on the sidelines…" I admit, "But, realistically, I think it would put the entire group in danger if too many of us tag along and get into a bad situation."

"Dude," Ryuji announces, "Why don't they, uh, ride inside Mona, or something? It'd be nice and safe in there."

"Wait… what?" Maya asks, speaking for all of us.

"That's… not a bad idea, actually," Morgana nods. In a puff of smoke, Morgana actually turns into a rather large vehicle.

Well, now I've seen everything.

"Hang on, here," Makoto interjects, "I don't think that will work. Just take a look at what we're dealing with here in this palace."

I, as well as the others, take in our surroundings. We can't see the interior through the thick, concrete wall surrounding the perimeter. However, everything else we can sense about the place tells us that it's certainly a military base. There's even a far-off blare from what must be an air-raid siren. The scent of diesel and other mechanical smells fill the night air so strongly that I can practically taste oil. There's even a gusting breeze that must be coming from the jet-planes flying low altitude rounds faster than their own engine roars can keep up with. Every last one of our senses confirms that this location, whether in the real world or not, is as tangible as any other.

Makoto points specifically to a tower that stretches high above the protective walls of the base, tall enough that we can see it clearly. "There are guard towers around the entire base, and they are shining spotlights around," she explains. "I don't need to remind the team that sneaking around and not getting caught are two of the most important things to do as Phantom Thieves, but this palace might take the importance of stealth to a whole new level."

"So, what you are saying is, there's no way we could sneak an entire bus through a place like this…" Ann summarizes cleanly.

This all leaves a foul taste in my mouth. I want to help, I really do! But I'm not really a fighter in any sense… but can I even contribute in my own way enough to justify my coming with them?

\---(Music Fade Out)---

Hmm… I actually have an idea. "Akira--"

"Call us by our codenames, remember?" Morgana--er, Mona--interrupts. I guess he can still talk while in bus form.

"Right. Sorry. Joker," I correct, "I recall at one point you mentioned how fluid cognition is in this metaphysical realm. Specifically, you said that all of your weapons are replicas, right? But they are able to function as real weapons simply because the shadows within the Metaverse believe they are real?"

"That's right," he nods.

"If that's the case, I actually have a plan on how to get inside the base, cat car and all," I announce.

*!*

"Why do I get the feeling that you're about to make your biggest bluff to date, Wright?" Edgeworth speaks, and I can read his curiosity and intent to hear me out.

"Well, here's what I'm thinking," I elaborate, "Why don't we just drive it right on through the entrance to the base? If these shadows are as gullible as we're thinking they are, why not just tell them that this is a military convoy and that we're bringing in a supply shipment?"

"I don't know if--" Joker begins to speak, but he stops so abruptly that his mouth stays open halfway through the sentence, only to close silently. He seems to be speechless.

"How in the world would we manage to pull THAT off?" Ritsu questions.

"Mr. Nick may be on to something!" Kay agrees, "Little Thief is a hologram projector, after all! Just give me a moment to try and change the settings here…" she trails off, hard at work crunching data with her device.

\---Music: [ Reproducing the Scene ~ The Gentleman Thief's Secret Weapon ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eEGakl1l6mg)\---

At Kay's command, parts of the Mona bus start to change and morph as she cycles through the settings. At first, we see an SUV, then, then a jeep, but then it shifts to a military-style truck. The colors adjust fluidly as if it were an art program and the color code was being adjusted. Once it becomes a believable shade of green, a few patterns appear in sequence. First polkadots, then tiger stripes, and finally army camouflage. Lastly, she rotates through the selection of various tires until finding a style with large treads which matches the shape, size, and color of the rest of the truck.

"The majority of us can hide in the back of the truck!" she explains, "How many of us need to stay visible in the front? Probably a driver and then one other person, right?"

"Sounds about right," Joker nods, "We'll pick two of us who Mizusawa hasn't seen before so the shadows won't recognize them."

"Queen usually drives the bus anyway," Oracle reasons. 

"I'll ride shotgun, since I've got the shotgun," Skull jokes.

Oh geeze, he actually does have a shotgun. I didn't recognize it at first, but all of the Phantom Thieves have a variety of blunt weapons as well as firearms. Yikes. What exactly am I getting myself into, here…

In much of the same process as how the truck was modified, Kay begins changing the clothes of Queen and Skull, until they are both in camouflaged fatigues as well. They look perfectly disguised as military personnel! 

"Ta-da~!" Kay cheers.

"That Little Thief device is dope!" Oracle speaks with fascination, "You'll have to let me try it out some time! I could learn a lot from that kind of unique tech… maybe even build my own!"

Fox waives his hand through the "truck" and he is able to pass through it like water. I can hear the sound of a sturdy touch against metal just slightly below where the surface of the hologram appears to be. So the truck disguise is ever so slightly larger than Mona is, but they are similar enough that they can match visibly. Whoever takes the wheel inside the bus will appear to be driving the convoy truck as if it were real. "So the hologram is only on the surface, and the true Mona bus is within…" Fox mentions. "It's almost as if Mona's bus form itself is just wearing a large mask."

"Hey, guys, I think we're overlooking something important," Panther speaks, drawing our focus to her. "They don't just let anyone into a military compound! It doesn't matter how we look if we don't have identification! They'll probably want to check for badges and stuff…"

"That ruse can be arranged, as well, as a matter of fact," Edgeworth speaks up. "Miss Sae? As I imagine, this Mizusawa character had some form of identification as to present himself as a bodyguard. We certainly know he has a license here in his own home. Did he have a badge, or card, or some such thing?"

"Yes, he did," Sae nods, "I have a photocopy of it in my court documents. The real card is in an evidence locker, however. Plus, it's not like we could fool the guards with the guy's OWN ID."

"I think what Edgeworth was getting at," I add, "Is involving the Little Thief again. If Kay knows what the real badge looks like, we can use it as a template and make fake ID card holograms for ourselves in the same format as the original. Isn't that right?"

"Now that's clever!" Ritsu compliments, "But won't it be really difficult to make it look like we're holding holograms without our fingers accidentally going right through them or something?"

"Then let's put the holograms over physical objects like the truck we're putting over Mona," Joker suggests, and turns to one of his teammates. "Oracle, take out your Magic cards."

"Hell no!" she spits back, "My super secret rares are worth more than the salaries of any of the adults here!"

"That's not a very high bar, pal…" Gumshoe sighs in defeat.

"Just use Skull's deck!" Oracle asserts forcefully.

"... you play Magic: The Gathering…?" a slightly astonished Joker asks Skull.

"Er, yeah, I guess," he answers, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a stack of slightly-worn trading cards held loosely together with a rubber band. He hands Queen a card, and takes out one himself. 

"Uh, Skull, I thought you said that these were Magic cards," Queen comments.

"They are, this is my fire deck," he confirms.

"You just handed me a 7 of Clubs," she shakes her head.

"Oh, so that's where that went," Skull scratches his chin. "Well, a card's a card. This should be enough for Kay to work with, right?"

Kay holds the paper with a copy of the ID card and uses her Little Thief to flash a picture of it. She then turns to Queen and Skull. "Smiles and say, 'fuzzy pickles!'" she states with a grin, before snapping two additional photos of our teammates. With some quick editing, she is able to craft up a faithful copy of the original ID, but with mugshots representing the Phantom Thieves in their disguises. She applies the designs in holograph form over the two playing cards, and they instantly appear to be authentic ID badges.

\---(Music Fade Out)---

"I think that ought to do it!" Kay speaks with a cocky grin. "Do you think this will work, Mr. Nick?"

"It should work perfectly!" I nod, smiling, "This is just what I had in mind. The guards should let us pass no problem, and once we get to somewhere safe we can get out and start investigating."

"Impressive work, Kay. And good thinking, Phoenix," Joker smirks, "I'm feeling a bit less worried about bringing you all along knowing what you're all capable of. But if things get ugly in there, just duck out and let us take care of it, understood?"

"That much we can do," I agree, "We aren't the types to get into fights anyway."

"But Nick," Maya interjects, "What about the time with all the superheroes when we fought Galactus?"

"I'm pretty sure that was just a dream," I rationalize, "After all, there's no way that could have possibly happened… right?"

"Ok, yeah, I guess it was a little far fetched. But what about the time when Morrigan gave us special powers so we could go on that cross-dimensional adventure?"

"Uh… also a dream?" I answer, feeling less certain of myself the more I think about it.

"Actually, I think I vaguely recall something to that effect as well…" Edgeworth mentions, "Did that actually happen? How peculiar…"

"Ok, uh, back on topic, at least…" I try to refocus, "We should get started with the infiltration."

"Hey, we're forgetting something else important to," Oracle brings up, "We need to come up with code names for the newbies!"

"Excellent point," Mona chimes in. "All true Phantom Thieves have codenames! Do you guys have anything in mind in terms of quick, snappy words we could use to refer to you?"

\---Music: [ Tricks and Baroque ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY7LPckq9X0)\---

"I want to be The Steel Samurai," Edgeworth interjects so abruptly and so quickly he practically interrupts the end of Mona's sentence. It feels like he was waiting for this very moment the entire time.

"That's a bit long…" Queen comments, "Perhaps, just 'Samurai?'"

Edgeworth thinks it over briefly with his eyes closed as he thinks. "Hrm. Very well. Good enough, I suppose."

"Then I'll be 'Ninja!'" Kay asserts.

"That's a good one," Joker nods.

Gumshoe seems to be mulling over his own name. "Well, I guess I do have my seven secret weapons. And when you get all sevens at the slot machines, you win. So how about 'Jackpot!'" 

"Stylish! And with Flair! I love it!" Mona approves heartily.

"I want to be 'Noir' then, like the old crime movies," Ritsu speaks up.

"Oh, I'm sorry, detective…" Haru says with regret, "But my name is already 'Noir…'"

"Oh, is that right? Dang," Ritsu snaps his fingers. "What about, 'Private Dick,' then?"

"That's MY actual name, pal," Jackpot shakes his head.

"... 'Private Eye…?'" Ritsu suggests cautiously.

"That one is similar to Oracle, and we have that one too," Fox explains solemnly.

"Ok then, what about 'Hawkshaw?' Take it or leave it because I'm seriously out of ideas if this one doesn't work."

"That actually sounds pretty cool," Panther compliments, "I think that one will work."

Hawkshaw audibly breathes a sigh of relief. He was clearly trying hard to come up with a cool name.

"Well, I'm a spirit medium, so my name doesn't have to be too complicated," Maya reasons, "I'm ok with being called 'Ghost' or something."

"Dude!" Skull cheers, "You act like that's nothing special, but that sounds badass! Like some secret agent shit or something!"

"Guess that just leaves yourself, Wright," Samurai shifts the topic to me.

I don't know, I don't feel like I've ever been one for nicknames--ironically, I might point out. I need to think of something that describes me well. What is special about me? I am a defense lawyer, after all. Protecting people is what I do. Should my codename reflect that?

"I think I've got an idea," I alert them, "What do you all think of 'Knight?'"

"Hmm… I can dig it!" Ghost agrees, "It fits you."

\---(Music Fade Out)---

"It seems this matter is settled," Samurai nods. "I suggest we get a move on."

"Queen, Skull, take the front," Joker instructs, "Everyone else, let's hop into the back of the Mona bus. Be sure not to make a single noise until we get past the front guards."

We file in and get prepared mentally for what may be our most dangerous adventure yet. I just hope that, whatever we find in this palace, it ends up helping us to understand more about what it is we're fighting for, and perhaps even who we're fighting against...

_To be continued..._

\---Music: [ Jingle ~ That's All For Today ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f10LFrjzM30)\---

_Would you like to save your game?_

  
_Yes No_


	2. Chapter 8-2: The Basics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joker is visited by Lavenza, just in time to get together with the Velvet Room inhabitants to discuss their situation. As the situation unfolds, it becomes clear that the group are not within a "palace," but instead a "Facade." Though similar in practice, and also caused by a mental distortion, a key difference is that a Facade can be created in someone not twisted enough to have a palace, and seems to be created by the outside force of being placed under a "contract." These distortions seem to be coming courtesy of the mysterious Director, who they now know for certain has the ability to form contracts like this one with individuals like Mizusawa. Could this frightening ability have been gained because of this enemy's influence over the Velvet Room itself?
> 
> Whatever the details may be, the Phantom Thieves will need to plan their next moves carefully. Now within Kaz Mizusawa's Facade of a military base, they'll need to start exploring to ultimate find out what this contract is, and more importantly how to break it.

_April 13th, 3:22 pm_

_Fort Kaz, Exterior_

It seems like we're all geared up and ready to get a move on. As decided upon earlier, the non-combatants will stay in the cars outside of the palace and await our return. Sojiro, Sae, and Mishima are better off out of the action, since these Metaverse intrusions are extremely dangerous. 

I don't feel totally comfortable bringing along as many people as we are, though… I understand that Ghost and Ninja will both be necessary in pushing forward and finding our objective. Jackpot and Hawkshaw both have guns that I assume they know how to use, so they'll be good for backup and cover fire.

Knight and Samurai, though… I almost want to tell them to stay behind. I hate to think of it that way, especially after everything Knight has done for us and our friends. But, by their own admission, neither of them can fight.

Though, I know I can count on logicians like them to provide us with clever deductions and out-of-the-box thinking. Knight just came up with our infiltration plan on the spot, after all. These palaces do have puzzles and riddles from time to time, I suppose. I'll just have to hope that bringing along two extra people won't be a liability--or worse, get any of us hurt or killed. I'll have to trust in them as well as trust in my friends to keep them safe.

I am going to have to insist that they stay inside the Mona bus, though. That part is non-negotiable.

As the group piles into the bus under the guise of the military truck, I notice a blue light from the corner of my eye. Turning to the side to check it out, I see a door to the Velvet Room has appeared out of thin air, and beside it stands Lavenza. She smiles at me and nods her head. "Hello once again, Trickster. If you have a moment, we would like to convene with you briefly."

I nod and enter the door, with her following behind me.

_April 13th, 3:24 pm_

_Backstage of the Velvet Room_

\---Music: [ The Poem of Everyone's Souls ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8K9mYo81jM)\--- 

As I recall, the last time I was in the Velvet Room, everything was hazy and I felt nauseous. It was extremely hard to focus even slightly. In contrast, the immediate clarity and awareness I have upon entering now tells me that I am not in the audience of the World Stage this time. Instead, I am within Igor's Backstage, the one area where he still exerts some level of control. It's a raggedy area, populated by woodwork discarded haphazardly against the edges of the room. Wooden planks, nails, saws, and other materials to be used in theater production all contribute to the scent of sawdust and paints filling the air. This all gives the Backstage a very 'unfinished' feel compared to the much more ornate stage itself. 

I doubt that this area is truly _behind_ the World Stage, as far as location goes. As that stage is our ultimate goal, it would be too convenient to be able to simply walk onto it from here. Rather, this Backstage is simply following the theme of the distorted Velvet Room, and occupies nowhere in particular in reference to the rest of the theater. It really is its own pocket of the room, separate from the rest, as well as from time and space, as the room typically is.

Igor sits at his desk in the center, with his hands held together in a contemplative pose. "Greetings, Trickster," he speaks to me while Lavenza walks to the table to turn and face me, now at Igor's side. "You have made phenomenal strides towards your goals. I simply must commend your efforts."

"Thank you," I politely return.

"Congratulations on returning to the Metaverse after so long," Lavenza nods with a pleasant grin, "I'm sure it must be exciting."

"Nobody told me he had such a sharp outfit!" I hear Elizabeth comment in a humorous tone, "This stylish look suits you!"

"As you can see, we've all made efforts to be present at this key moment," Margaret explains. 

Sure enough, all of the attendants of the room are here. Margaret, Elizabeth, Theodore, and of course Lavenza. "Are all of you related? You certainly are four of a kind."

"That we are," Theodore nods, "And now that you're here, we have a full house, in fact."

"Four aces and a Joker," Igor comments with a subdued laugh, "How delightful. I certainly know which hand I'll be betting on. But, pleasantries aside, we have much to discuss."

"We've been doing research and deliberating on many aspects of the current situation," Margaret explains. "Our master may have mentioned previously that these are not the first 'Orbs' to exist. They are the collective power of bonds and wishes given form. He himself even created one in the past, in fact. With that as our starting point, we've been able to deduce many new answers to questions which I'm sure you have."

As far as questions go, I do have plenty. Where to begin? "The first thing on my mind is the place that the Little Thief device is allowing us to access. What exactly is it? Is it still the Metaverse? How is that possible if the Metaverse was returned to its original form?"

Elizabeth shakes her head. "I think it's a misconception we've all had to believe the Metaverse's existence was a result of the two Orbs fusing. We've slowly been beginning to discern the true nature of all of this."

"Cognition and emotion will always exist regardless,"Theodore elaborates, "But for it to take form in a way humans can interact with requires the power of the Orbs to manifest."

"To answer your question," Lavenza contributes, "You are assuredly in a world given shape and form by the human subconscious. The potential for such a world has always, and will always, exist. The Orbs can be thought of as two different keys that are both needed to open the door to that cognitive world."

"That makes sense," I confirm, "But normally it needs both of them to work, isn't that right? How is it we can visit the Metaverse without the Orb of Mind?"

"That can be explained now that we have come to understand the core functions of each Orb," Margaret expounds. "The Orb of Heart is able to resonate with and capture the raw emotions experienced by sentient beings. The energy is what naturally forms the heart of the Metaverse and how it functions. However, that energy is useless to humans if they have no way for their cognitions to process it in a way they can make sense of."

"The Orb of Mind is a little like the opposite," Elizabeth furthers, "It harnesses the same senses that brains use to process information about the world around us. It has the power to broadcast that information in a metaphysical sense, which is what fundamentally constructs the Metaverse into an existence that can be experienced and interacted with. Without any heart behind it, the Metaverse would be nothing more than an exact copy of the real world, unbiased by emotion."

"A metaphor, perhaps, may help," Theodore connects, "If the Metaverse is a painting, then the Orb of Mind draws the lines, and the Orb of Heart provides the colors."

"I see," I respond, "I think I'm starting to make sense of why the Little Thief can make use of our Orb then. It's a machine that projects imagery and visuals, so it can substitute for the Orb of Mind in providing an outlet for the emotions of the heart to take shape."

"You catch on quick," Elizabeth praises.

"To that effect, we can conclusively acknowledge that you are in the same Metaverse you are familiar with," Lavenza establishes, "And all of the same rules and conventions still apply."

"Some of my teammates say this palace feels different than others," I mention, "Would any of you have any idea why that may be? Maybe it's just a gut feeling, but I don't truly get the sense that this Mizusawa guy is a big enough scumbag to even have a palace. I'm not even sure if our objective is still to steal a treasure."

"Now we are encroaching on speculation," Margaret advises, "But I do have a few thoughts as to that subject. If we consider that the circumstances involve a 'director' as well as a 'contract,' we can assume that this all ties into how our primary antagonist views the world as their own stage production."

"Personally I've taken a liking to the idea of calling individuals such as Mizusawa 'actors,'" Theodore adjoins, "Since that's essentially what they are, if they are fulfilling a role laid out for them via a contract."

"And maybe he ISN'T a big time bad guy enough to have a palace-creating distortion," Elizabeth returns to a previous comment I made, "But I've been thinking that whoever is using the Orb of Mind and forming contracts with people may be creating 'palaces' in individuals who may not otherwise have one naturally."

I hit a realization. "'Contract' is also the word that Igor used for me in the past. Do we think that forming contracts may be a power the enemy possesses due to their connection to the Velvet Room…?"

"Now that is an intriguing thought!" Igor softly chuckles, "As you are well aware, this room both fosters growth and facilitates personal journeys for those contracted to it. If that power were to be twisted or altered by a strong force, such as the Orb of Mind… well. Who is to say it would be impossible to alter someone's cognition into following a journey laid out for them by force? Casting an actor into a role, as it were."

"And in the process, possibly creating a distortion where there wasn't one," Lavenza appends.

"So… this may not technically be a palace at all," I recognize, "But something else entirely with a different source and different reason for existing."

"We recognized the need to come up with a word for this type of location," Elizabeth explains, "And we've decided that 'Facade' works nicely! An apt descriptor for a palace that isn't really a palace."

"That brings me back to my concern about finding the treasure," I reiterate, "If there's no treasure causing this 'Facade' to exist, what exactly do we think our goal here might be?"

"I think the word 'contract' is the key," Lavenza infers. 

"To that point," Margaret jumps in, "A contract is just that. A binding agreement which is meant to be adhered to conditionally."

"We have been ruminating on this for quite some time," Theodore admits, "And we have reached a probable solution. If this supposed contract truly is of the same type that our master uses, then we know that it can be broken."

Lavenza nods in agreement. "There is a strong possibility that you may need to locate some object or item within your foe's cognition which is representative of the idea of a contractual obligation. It may even be a paper contract, if the word truly is being used literally."

"Alternatively," Margaret continues, "It may be a verbal contract. Whichever the case may be, you will need to discern what that contract is, and figure out how to break the conditions of it. Or, if the opportunity is present to do so, destroying the contract physically may suffice."

"But keep in mind that a Facade is intrinsically linked to cognition just like a palace would be," Lavenza reminds me, "So the owner will need to be cognizant of the contract being broken."

"So there's no way around having to locate Mizusawa's shadow within the Facade," is the conclusion I reach, "I had a feeling that would be the case. But that's fine. If we have to get into a scrap, we'll handle it. Thank you all for the information and advice, I think we'll be a lot better equipped to handle all of this now."

"Of course," Margaret smiles, "It's satisfying to have such direct influence on the success of your endeavors."

"With the whole Velvet Room at stake, we can't just stay on the sidelines, after all!" Elizabeth asserts.

"You have our support, and our confidence," Theodore bows.

"I know you'll be able to show this facade of a Director what a true Trickster is capable of," Lavenza encourages, with her uniquely reserved and polite brand of energy.

"I believe we've reached the conclusion of this particular conversation," Igor nods. "Thank you all for your contributions."

"Before I go," I speak up, "Am I able to use the compendium? Summoning Yoshitsune definitely wouldn't hurt."

"Ha!" Igor laughs. 

"Wow," Elizabeth comments, "No shame, huh?"

Igor coughs lightly into his fist to clear his throat. "As entertaining as it would be to witness you dance through the opposition effortlessly, this incomplete Backstage unfortunately lacks many of the functionalities you had come to rely on in the Velvet Room proper."

I chuckle a bit myself. "Should have known things wouldn't be that easy."

"Until next time, Trickster," Igor bids farewell.

\---(Music Fade Out)---

_April 13th, 3:25 pm_

_Fort Kaz, Exterior_

"Is he ok?" I hear Ghost ask, pointing in my direction.

"Oh, if he zoned out for a moment, he probably went to that special room again," Queen explains.

"Sorry. I'm here now," I mention, getting into the back of the truck with everyone else.

"So you went to that place again, huh?" Panther asks me for clarity. I nod to confirm.

"Did you bring back Yoshitsune at least?" Mona asks me.

"Regrettably, no," I shake my head.

"Why the eff not?" Skull questions.

"Remember how I told you that the place is being distorted by the Director? I can't use any of the resources I could before."

"Well that just plain sucks!" Oracle laments, "Yoshitsune would have made this super easy mode."

"I know, right?" I sigh.

"What are you all talking about?" Hawkshaw asks.

Right. We've got new recruits in the car. Better get to explaining the fundamentals of what to expect here in the Metaverse. And on top of that, I'll take some time to fill everyone else in on the situation now that the Velvet Room attendants have helped me to make more sense of it.

_April 13th, 3:40 pm_

_Fort Kaz, Disguised Mona Bus Interior_

\---Music: [ Investigation ~ Middlegame 2009 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LPkLQiJjfM)\---

"Alright. So is everyone up to speed, now?" I poll.

"Indeed," Fox confirms, "I especially liked the part where you compared the Metaverse to a painting. What a nostalgic thought to recall when I attempted to paint the Metaverse myself…"

"I understand everything, but I still have a bad feeling about this," Noir comments. "Simply breaking a contract sounds too easy. Almost suspiciously so. I doubt it will be such a simple matter in reality."

"Yeah, I'm worried about how we could even find something like that," Oracle adds, "And if we do find it, how will we even know? What if it just looks and seems like any other object?"

"I'm more worried about the potential that the contract is verbal," Mona points out, "How will we possibly know what to do or say to figure something like that out? Should we interrogate one of the shadow guards? Or should we try and get Mizusawa's shadow to tell us about the contract himself? We're at a huge disadvantage here if we have no clue how to reach our objective…"

"Well, if it comes to logical clashing or verbal sparring, I happen to be somewhat of an expert," Samurai mentions.

"Yeah, pals," Jackpot throws in, "Mr. Edgewo--er, I mean, Mr. Samurai is scary good at arguing and getting people to say what he wants them to say. We can leave any interrogation up to him for sure."

"And we've seen first hand how quick on his feet Knight is when it comes to outsmarting people," Hawkshaw points out, "I'd honestly say we're pretty well equipped to tackle more cerebral challenges if the need arises."

"Question!" Ninja speaks up, "Do we all need to stay quiet once we enter the base?"

"Hmm…" Mona considers, "Between all of the loud noises like jet planes and other trucks, plus the sound of our own engine, I suppose you could get away with speaking quietly, if necessary."

"That's good," Ninja exhales with relief, "Cuz I might need to go over some of this stuff a second time… it's a lot to process."

"And, to be honest," Samurai segues, "I'm rather intrigued by the methods with which you Phantom Thieves do combat. Whichever of you all is the most akin to the combat strategist, I would be very interested in talking about that in more detail."

"It would be in all of our best interests if you and the others stay as far away from combat as possible," I tell him stern realism.

"Well, yes, of course. I didn't intend to involve myself in any combat," he corrects me, "But I would like to know more about the fundamentals of what to expect from the Metaverse. It couldn't hurt to be more aware of the tactics involved and such."

"So you want the rundown on how we actually do battle?" I clarify, "I could do that. Have you heard of the game Shogi?" I ask.

"In passing, yes," Samurai nods with a smirk, "I've heard it is very similar to Chess, which is something I am intimately familiar with."

"Well, that's good news. I was trained using Shogi as a basis, so equating things to a strategy board game such as that sounds like it will be the most efficient way for both of us."

It's a bit amusing thinking that I could be the teacher when it comes to strategy. Whenever I think back to all of the training with Hifumi, I always picture myself as the student rather than the master. But I suppose I've gotten fairly slick in my own right when it comes to battle tactics. 

By this point, Queen and Skull have taken their seats in the front. Since the hologram is putting up a false barrier between the front and the back, the two of them have to stick their heads through the projection to see us. It's a tad jarring, seeing them as disembodied heads just floating in front of us.

"At the risk of sounding impatient, I think we should get this show on the road," Queen speaks up. "The longer we stay parked out here, the more chance we have of someone noticing us. We better put this infiltration plan into action."

"Couldn't've said it better myself," Skull agrees with a cocky smirk, "Is everybody settled in back there?"

\---(Music Fade Out)---

"Hang on, there's one other important thing first," Oracle speaks. I hear some shuffling next to me, and notice her passing around some small objects. "All of you new people. You're going to want to put these communicators in your ears, so we can keep in contact during this infiltration."

"Now I REALLY feel like a super spy," Ghost giggles.

"Everyone situated now?" Queen asks.

"Ready as we'll ever be," Knight nods.

Without another word, Queen shifts the bus into gear. It's rather dark in here, and we can't see what's going on outside of the vehicle. We'll only have a vague idea of what's happening based on sound. For the majority of us, it's hard not to feel uneasy with the situation now out of our control from back here. But I know we can trust Queen and Skull to handle the rest from this point.

After a short stint of driving at a moderate pace, I can feel the vehicle turn and reorient. I imagine we're being lined up so that we can approach an entry checkpoint from the front just like any other convoy would when entering a base. I feel our ride slow to a stop, though we keep the engine running.

\---Music: [ VR 'Remixed' Sneaking Mission (Metal Gear Solid 2) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccWGZa9JGS4)\---

"Identification," I hear the guard speak in a very direct tone.

I hear a bit of shuffling in the front as our two "soldiers" present their badges. There's a tense bit of silence for a few moments, and I can only imagine the guard is looking at the badges with intense scrutiny. I hear the same voice from before, but in a much more hushed whisper. "They seem to check out."

A second voice whispers back, so there must be multiple guards. "I've never seen them before. Have you?"

"No," is the hushed response, but then the voice returns to speaking volume to address our team in the front. "What unit are you with?" it asks with firm authority.

"We've been stationed off-base on assignment," Skull replies.

"What's your business here?" the second guard grills.

I'm glad we went over some practice scenarios in advance, so the two of them have a good number of planned responses depending on how things go.

"We've got a payload of items of interest in the back which need to make their way to storage," Queen answers.

I hear the flapping of paper, and I imagine the guard is sifting through some kind of paperwork on a clipboard. "I don't see any scheduled deliveries…" the second voice mentions.

The first guard's volume lowers again as he speaks with his buddy. "Check the back," he commands. 

"The contents are classified," Skull halts them.

"Under whose orders?" is the skeptical, somewhat confrontational response.

"This stuff comes straight from the Director," Skull answers without hesitation. 

There's another moment of uncomfortable pause before the guards mumble to one another once again. "They know about the Director?"

"That information is under pretty tight wraps…"

"Not just any soldier would even know about that."

"What would the Director be sending to us at this point?"

Queen jumps in to interrupt their conversation before it gets too inquisitive. "The contents we're carrying are directly related to fulfilling 'the contract.' I trust I needn't say more?" she asserts, with an almost threatening undertone.

More side conversation from the two. "Oh wow, is he finally going to make good on his end of the deal?" 

"I thought we'd been left hung out to dry!"

A few more whispers before they speak to us again. "Alright. Carry on. You have security clearance," a guard states, and I can hear the mechanical noise of the barricading bar lifting up to allow passage. 

Excellent. In just a few moments, we'll be in the base and ready to roll. There's still one last important factor to go over, however. We won't fool anyone if we get inside the base and start driving around aimlessly. We need to have some idea of which direction to aim for, at least initially.

"Before we go," Skull speaks up, "Is the supply warehouse on the east side of the base? It's been a long time since we were last here, and we were arguing over who was remembering properly."

"It's on the south side. Same as it always is," the second guard replies.

"Told you," Queen boasts.

"Yeesh, guess I owe you a drink then," Skull chuckles, "Thanks."

Nice work, Queen and Skull! The truck is shifted into gear, and we begin moving into the compound. 

\---(Music Fade Out)---

"It seems fairly loud outside now," Samurai comments, "Now that we are en route to our first destination, perhaps we should take this opportunity for further discussion. Joker, before we delve into the finer points of tactics, I believe I need to better understand the basics of fighting here in the Metaverse. I believe you mentioned the primary opposition will be shadows, yes?"

\---Music: [ Suspicion (P5) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_cAs1sD5-8)\---

Hmm. This is all so second nature to me that it's almost hard to explain. Where to start? "Well, stronger shadows attract weaker ones. We'll primarily be fighting shadows which are subservient to the Facade's owner. Judging by the guards that Queen and Skull just interacted with, I think it's safe to say that shadows within this Facade have taken the form of military operatives. Soldiers, guards, base staff, and the like."

"Say, pal," Jackpot speaks up, "These shadows aren't real people, are they? So, it won't be a problem to, like… shoot them, and stuff?"

"No, they aren't real, so there's no need to worry about that," Noir explains. "In fact, if we run into any shadows we can't sneak past unnoticed, then taking them out before they can call more is our best option."

"So there's a very real chance that bullets are going to have to fly," Hawkshaw infers, his mouth skewed with unease. 

"Almost positively," Oracle asserts, "So we need both of you detectives to keep your trigger fingers ready at all times, in fact. Especially to keep everyone else on the Mona Bus safe."

"Though there's one shadow we can't kill," Panther adds, "If a Facade is the same as a palace, then we can't kill the shadow of the owner. If Mizusawa's shadow gets killed, then the real world Mizusawa's mind will shut down completely… and that's basically the same as death."

"The rest are fair game," I confirm, "So feel free to give us cover fire if the need arises. However, Jackpot, Hawkshaw; I want the two of you on defense. Mona is a sitting duck in this form, and the Metaverse is life-threateningly dangerous. Stick with Mona, protect the non-combatants, and leave the bulk of the fighting to the rest of us."

"That's for the best," Jackpot agrees.

We can tell the bus is going down some sort of incline now. I'm assuming the storehouse we're going to must be on a lower level, or perhaps underground.

Samurai crosses his arms and taps his finger. "Aside from the weapons you use, you all described having some sort of spiritual allies in battle, yes? Those things you called 'Personas.'" 

"Yes," I confirm, "In essence, we can call upon beings which can fight on our behalf, though it's tiring to do so excessively. Thanks for reminding me to explain that part. I certainly don't want to shock any of you once we summon our Personas. They look rather intimidating at first, but they are on our side, and they help us."

I remove my mask. The dark interior of the "jeep" is illuminated by a bright blue light. In a swirl of blue flames, Arsene appears. 

"Yikes!" Ghost gasps, "This must be what Knight was talking about on the night you two met for the first time!" she speaks to her partner.

"Right," I nod, "This is mine, for instance. His name is Arsene. Knight and he have already met."

Samurai gulps, but maintains his composure. "R-Right. I can't help but notice how striking his outfit is."

Arsene tips his hat and maintains a stylish pose. "Likewise," he bellows back.

"I probably would have freaked out if you hadn't warned us in advance!" Ninja shivers, "But it's good to know that such tough-looking dudes are on OUR side!"

"I just realized that each of you Phantom Thieves have your own Persona," Knight recognizes as he scratches his chin, "I'm very curious to see what the others look like."

The noise outside of our ride gets quieter and quieter. I'm fairly certain we're underground now, as I don't know what else would muffle such loud noises around the base.

"Do they have weapons as well?" Hawkshaw questions.

"They do," Fox confirms, "Though they have far more applications in combat than just their weapons would imply."

"Personas and shadows both fight using the elements," Oracle elaborates. "Fire, wind, electricity, and other stuff like that. You can think of them as, like, magical spells or something if that makes it easier."

"Is it like in video games where every enemy has strengths and weaknesses against certain elements?" Ghost raises.

Noir nods. "They do. If a shadow gets hit with something it's weak to, that usually knocks it down and gives us a further opening to act."

Samurai seems to be listening very intently. "I see," he notes.

"But it gets a bit more complicated than just strengths and weaknesses," Oracle admits, "Some shadows are completely immune to some elements, others absorb certain elements to heal, and some even completely reflect certain elements back…"

"The key takeaway for you two," I continue, looking at Jackpot and Hawkshaw, "Is to be cautious if we find any enemies that reflect bullets. Definitely don't shoot at those."

\---(Music Fade Out)---

The vehicle seems to settle, and the engine dies down. We all stop talking and listen to our surroundings. It's almost perfectly silent, save for some industrial ambience from air conditioning.

Skull sticks his head through the hologram to look at us. "Alright guys, coast's clear," he informs us.

_April 13th, 4:06 pm_

_Fort Kaz, South Area Underground, Parking Garage_

\---Music: [ Deck B - Crew's Quarters (Metal Gear Solid 2) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xk6QPQaMDc)\---

The inside of the bus both looks and feels cramped, so now that we've been given the ok, we all step outside to stretch and get some air. It's spacious and empty, without much of anything other than our own car. The walls are all cement, and the air smells dank. "Is this the supply warehouse?" Knight asks.

"I was able to find an underground parking garage right next to it," Queen explains, "And as luck would have it, this floor doesn't seem to have anyone on it."

"Great work on fooling the guards, guys!" Panther compliments with cheer, "This is going super smoothly so far!"

Hawkshaw scratches the side of his face. "So, now that we're in the base… do we have a game plan?"

I stretch my neck from side to side, and then I curl my fingers to gesture for the Phantom Thieves to form a circle so we can have a discussion. "Alright. We know next to nothing about this base. So our first order of business is to find out more. Queen, were there any vantage points around this area? A guard tower might work nicely."

She nods her head. "Yes. There are four towers at each corner of the perimeter. There's one on the other side of the supply warehouse, probably about a kilometer to the southeast."

"Perfect," I smirk, "Then we already know our opening move. We're forming a small group, and we're going to climb that tower to get a view of the rest of the base. The rest of you will hold tight back here until we return. The guard at the top of the tower could be a nice source of information if we get him talking about the base itself."

"Sounds like two birds with one stone!" Skull fist pumps, but then backtracks. "Though, I always hated that expression… what kind of asshole throws rocks at birds, anyway…?"

"This also gives us an opportunity for one of you veterans to stay behind and explain more to us about these Persona battles," Knight suggests, "I know Samurai is definitely interested in hearing more."

"I can do that!" Mona steps up. "After all, I trained the rest of the team since they were rookies. I can explain the ins and outs of Metaverse combat, no sweat."

"Good," I nod. "Noir, Skull, Queen, and Oracle. You're all with me. Let's move."

"Should I make disguises for the rest of you, too?" Ninja offers.

I politely hold up my palm to decline. "I appreciate it, but it'll just slow us down if we have to stop and make up excuses every time we run into guards. We'll sneak around the old fashioned way."

"Roger that," she nods, and she turns off the military outfit holograms on Skull and Queen.

"How far below ground are we?" I ask Queen, seeing as she drove us here.

"Only two levels," she answers, "But there are a bunch of vehicles parked on the ground floor, so the garage isn't totally empty and we may run into soldiers. Getting out of here to the rest of the base may be tricky."

Skull props a bat across the length of his shoulders with a cocky grin, and Queen cracks her knuckles in stoic anticipation. Noir spins the ammo chamber of her grenade launcher before clicking it into place, never ceasing her pleasant smile. I tug at my gloves to tighten them slightly. Looks like we're all ready to rock.

Making our way up isn't too complicated of a matter. Like any parking garage, there are inclined sections ramping up or down, so we just have to follow those. However, just like Queen warned, we come upon more cars the higher up we get. It's starting to become a possibility that we may run into someone. We walk quietly, as the echo of footsteps could travel here if we aren't careful.

In the distance, the sound of a running engine seems to approach us. With a quick flick of a hand sign, I signal for all of us to take cover. There are plenty of parked cars around, and we each dive behind one. From hiding, I do my best to keep my eyes on the approaching vehicle. It's just another military jeep. Is it going to head down lower? That could be an issue…

Ah. Thankfully, it pulls into a parking space on this level. No need to be concerned. The vehicle stops, and the driver hops out. He fumbles around with a ring of keys for a moment, and the act of securing the truck produces a brief honk of the horn to signify that it's locked.

We all stay still and watch carefully as the guard leaves the area. Nothing to worry about. While crouched, we cautiously stick behind each car as cover and work our way towards the exit. When we can no longer see or sense any more shadows, we exit the parking compound.

\---(Music End)---

_April 13th, 4:06 pm_

_Fort Kaz, South Area_

\---Music: [ Deck B - Crew's Quarters (Metal Gear Solid 2) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xk6QPQaMDc)\---

This definitely looks exactly like I expected a military base to. Though we're under the guise of night time, everything is fairly well lit by lighting on the buildings and from light posts. Sneaking around will still be a bit tough if we aren't careful. The supply warehouse is the closest building to us, so we take cover against its wall. 

There are several soldiers around, though not necessarily patrolling. They seem to be just going about their business from place to place. It's the guard towers I'm more worried about. Those spotlights could cause us some trouble. More reason to get up to the closest one and neutralize it.

"It's a long way to the guard tower," Oracle comments, "It's on the other side of the warehouse and then some."

"Could we cut through the warehouse?" Noir raises as a possibility, "That may be safer than trying to sneak around where we can be seen. Plus, a warehouse might be just the place to look for where a contract may be stored away."

"Not a bad idea!" Skull agrees, "C'mon, there's a door right over here."

Of course, the handle won't do more than jiggle. I knew it would be locked. The question is how to unlock it. It's a military-grade, reinforced metal door, so I doubt picking the lock would be a simple matter. Next to it, there's a device which has a slot about the width and size of a keycard.

"Not this ID card nonsense again," Noir growls with a somewhat uncharacteristic frown.

Hmm. "I guess we'll have to find someone who has an access card and--"

Wait. Where is Noir going…?

She walks up to the edge of the building and begins knocking on the wall with her fist, and she whistles loudly. What in the world is she doing?!

A nearby soldier runs over and comes behind the building with us, and is startled upon seeing us. "Who the hell are you--"

Before the question can even be finished, Noir substitutes the question mark with a different form of punctuation--in the form of her gigantic battleaxe coming down like a hammer and absolutely obliterating the shadow.

I think the REST of us are startled now. Noir leans over and picks up a card from the remnants of what used to be the enemy soldier. Her frown has become even more powerful to the point it feels threatening. "I **really** hate ID card puzzles," she states, deadly serious.

"I guess… that's one way to get results…" Queen comments uneasily.

I suppose I can understand why Noir would be so touchy in regards to one of the most annoying fiascos we had to go through in the past, considering it was her own father's palace...

Noir tries to use the ID card, but the scanner buzzes softly and displays a red light. "I was worried that may not work," I groan, "This one might not have a high enough security clearance. We'll probably have to--"

Noir snaps the card in two and throws it to the ground, turns around, and begins stomping off in the same direction while dragging her axe against the ground. Before she can find another victim, I grab her shoulder. "Hey, hey, I get it. We ALL hate ID card puzzles. But let's think through this rationally."

"At least we don't have to fly through space this time!" Skull tries to cheer her up, but hesitates in his enthusiasm at the last minute. "At least, I don't _think_ we'll have to fly through space… I sure hope we won't have to…"

I try to use my third eye to scan all of the shadows in the area. They all have cards either in their pockets, wallets, or on lanyard necklaces. But all of the cards glow identically, so there's no way to tell which, if any, are more important. 

"Did you use your powers to see which soldier has a higher access level ID card?" Queen asks me.

"No good. All the cards look the same to me. But I'm almost positive the guard up in the tower will have a higher level of access than the average soldier," I explain, "So let's just go around the warehouse for now and come back."

Noir has calmed down a bit. "There's an alley between the back of the warehouse and the concrete perimeter wall, we can slip by there without anyone seeing us," she reasons.

We all nod and follow the path decided upon. It's a fairly long building, so we can hide behind it for almost the entire distance to the guard tower we need to reach. Eventually, we close in on the tower, and we're able to get under it without the guard above noticing anything. They dutifully continue scrolling the light in patterns across the base, none the wiser. 

The opportunity is here and the time is now. "Stay down here until I give the signal," I instruct, and I begin to ascend the long ladder to the top of the tower. 

As I get closer to the top, I slow my movements to avoid creating any unnecessary noise. As luck would have it, a fighter jet is making a round above the base at this very moment, and that jet engine is just enough noise for me to rapidly pull myself up to the top. The guard doesn't even notice my presence, and I go in for the grab…

Wait. I have to get down. A spotlight is shining on the tower. What's going on?

The shadow turns slightly and gives a hand sign and nods. "All clear," he speaks, evidently into a communicator of his own. The light leaves, and the guard goes back to looking through his own light.

It seems like the four guard towers make constant checks with one another to make sure everything is ok. That complicates things. I can't really take out the guard if that's the case.

I see it hanging from a clip attached to the back of his belt, right there and up for grabs. I'll take his access card, at least.

I quietly walk back to the ladder, and descend the tower. For now, assuming this card works, we'll at least have access to the warehouse. We can start our search there.

_To be continued..._

\---(Music End)---

\---Music: [ Victory ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjLWGyx4zoA)\---

_Would you like to save your game?_

_Yes No_


	3. Chapter 8-3: Dark Skies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joker and his team continue exploring the military base Facade to try and locate the contract. However, the Metaverse never forgets to remind all those who enter it just how dangerous it can be. When communications go down between the exploration team and the team waiting back at the Mona Bus, things take a huge turn for the worst. When bullets start to fly, Joker knows that he has to make the right calls and do the right moves if he wants to get his friends out alive. However, the rest of team have a few surprises of their own to show, and fully intend to show their leader just why he trusts them as dependable teammates and irreplaceable friends.
> 
> But will all of those friends be accounted for when all is said and done...?

_April 13th, 4:18 pm_

_Fort Kaz, South Area_

\---Music: [ Suspicion (P5) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_cAs1sD5-8)\---

I climb back down the ladder and reach a point where I can safely jump off to reach the ground. Explaining the change of plans to the team will be in order.

"Did you take out the guard, dude?" Skull questions with eager expectation, "I didn't even hear anything!"

"Not an option. Not at this point, anyway," I try to explain, "Right before I could make my move, the guard towers shined lights on one another to communicate. Seems they make frequent checks on one another to make sure everything's alright. Removing the guard from his post could backfire."

Oracle raises the next logical question. "So… what do we do now, then?"

I show them the prize I've taken. "I took the guard's access card, at least. I'm betting that an actual guard has higher security access than just random staff around base, so the warehouse is probably fair game now."

"Maybe we'll get lucky and the contract will be stored inside the warehouse?" Noir suggests optimistically.

"Only one way to find out," I nod.

We backtrack a short ways while still clinging to the shadows. Originally, the door we were trying to open was on the west side of the building. We're on the opposite side of the warehouse now, but there's an almost identical door with another keycard mechanism. When the coast is clear, we slip against the building to the door. The card I swiped from the guard in the tower works like a charm, and the lock within the door clicks audibly. We carefully swing the door open, and we're in.

_April 13th, 4:25 pm_

_Fort Kaz, Supply Warehouse_

\---Music: [ Warehouse (Level 1) - Metal Gear Solid 2 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFjQ4srSSCg)\---

As soon as we enter, the interior lights clank on loudly and mechanically as they sense us. I'm not keen on how much noise they made, nor am I partial to sneaking around underneath motion-activated lights. But, as those lights were off until we got here, it's a safe assumption that no one else is in the warehouse but us.

It's incredibly spacious, yet at the same time feels claustrophobic. If this room were to be totally empty, it would stretch as far as the eye could see. But instead, rows upon rows of metal pallet racks are lined up in orderly fashion, leaving very little walking space. The shelves are lined with crates and containers filled with what must be munitions. As our heads turn in all directions to observe our surroundings, we slowly walk as a group down the industrial corridors and move deeper into the warehouse.

"How the hell are we supposed to search a place like this?" Skull gripes as we walk, "It'd take days to go through all of this shit…"

"I've been thinking," Queen begins speaking, "Realistically, what are the odds that something as important as a contract would just be hidden away in a box on a shelf somewhere?"

"But the contract could be just about anything," Oracle reminds her, "We might miss it if we don't check everything, right?"

"I'll give it a look," I nod. By this point, we've reached a four way intersection, and it's easy for me to walk up and down the aisles looking both ways. Focusing my third eye and scanning every which way, I see a few breakable objects here and there. They probably contain some kind of money or small treasure. That's par for the course for the Metaverse. But nothing stands out to me as looking particularly important. I shake my head, and my team recognizes that my quick scan was unsuccessful.

Noir holds her chin and closes her eyes to meditate on the subject. "Well. A contract is supposed to be something with enough influence to alter someone's cognition by force. And when one considers how cognition works, it wouldn't make sense for something so crucial to just be laying around somewhere."

"So you guys think that it might be hidden away somewhere in the Facade, just like a treasure would be hidden in a palace?" Skull pieces together.

"It's possible," Queen continues, "And given the weight of that contract, I think we can anticipate it being under close watch, or even close guard."

"Counterpoint:" Oracle suggests, "We were talking about how this was just some job that Mizusawa found on the deepweb, and he probably was doing it for money. Would something of that nature actually be important enough, in this guy's mind and heart, to be worth guarding carefully? It's not really the same as a close, personal treasure."

"Well, if we consider the terms of the contract are what's binding him," I theorize, "Then I'm less worried about Mizusawa's interest and more worried about the vested interest this Director has in the situation. We have to remember that ultimately someone other than Mizusawa convinced him into forming this contract."

As we've stopped pacing for a spell, Noir taps her foot. "So even if the contract is just a job to the owner of this facade, it's part of the grander scheme of this Director, and having it interfered with could be a liability…"

"If the Director is as calculating as we're worried he is," Queen asserts, "Then it's almost a given that one of the terms of this supposed contract would be to protect the contract."

"That would make sense, yeah," Oracle nods, "And we still don't know what the Orb of Mind is fully capable of, either. For all we know, the Director may have a personal hand in guarding the contract, given that they are the one created it..."

Skull scratches his head. "So, uh, back to what we were doing: what exactly WERE we coming in here for if we don't think the contract will be here?"

I begin walking again, and the others follow. "We may as well head back to the parking garage to regroup. If nothing else, it's faster to cut through here directly than to walk around the building," I reason, "And I was hoping that at least somewhere in here we could find a map of the compound. I'd be surprised if there isn't some sort of fire escape chart on a wall somewhere."

"Hey, there's an alarm on the wall over there," Queen notices, "We should probably take note."

"Fire escape charts are usually placed next to fire alarms, so that may be exactly what we're looking for!" Noir comments with cheer.

"I'll check it out," I agree. As we walk, I point my finger at one of the boxed supply containers on a bottom shelf nearby. "Also, the rectangular blue containers have treasure in them. Feel free to crack them open. May as well loot the place while we're here. Meet back up at the open area in five."

"Mwhehehe!" Oracle cackles mischievously, "You heard the man! Let's spread out and nab some swag!"

Skull, Noir, Queen, and Oracle go wild. I'll give the team some time to have a little bit of fun. I kick open the closest case to me, one on the bottom shelf nearest to the ground, and there's a small gemstone instead of it. I flip it like a coin and pocket it, smirking at the nostalgia, and my hands stay in my pockets as I keep walking. 

The alarm is on the north wall, closer to the east side. Sure enough, there's a fire escape chart that I'm able to glance over. It shows a very barebones map of the entire base, though none of the buildings are labeled, so that won't be much help in exploring the place. However, escape routes in the event of an evacuation are clearly marked... could I use this information?

As expected, the areas closest to the entrance we came in are all marked with paths leading to said point, in essence just evacuating through the front door like normal. However, other places further into different sides of the base lead to other areas… are there hidden escape routes? That could be extremely useful for infiltration purposes. I try to commit it to memory as best I can.

We're spread out enough that we have to use our comms to converse. "So, has anyone found anything resembling a contract?" I ask.

"Nothing here," Queen answers morosely.

"Nope," Skull replies as well.

"Guess we should have expected as much…" Oracle sighs.

\---(Music Fade Out)---

I hear our teammates from back in the garage speak up. "We have a small problem," Fox states regretfully

"There were a few shadows snooping around near the ramp down to this floor," Panther elaborates with a concerned tone, "The disguise seemed to work, but I've got a bad feeling now..."

\---Music: [ Tension (P5) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrdMXoqp8Q4)\---

"Uhhh… Joker? Make that TWO problems," Oracle hesitates to bring to my attention, "I'm picking up shadows on radar headed this way."

"Damn," I mutter under my breath, "How many?"

"Looks like… fourteen," Oracle communicates, "They're moving in what looks like an organized formation… I'd say we have two or three minutes, tops."

"Shit, do they know we're here??!" Skull questions urgently.

"Keep your cool, team," I instruct, "Which direction are they coming from?"

"East!" our navigator answers.

Not as big a problem as it could be, at least. "That's fine, we're heading west anyway. Let's move."

Suddenly, and painfully, there's some sort of bang which bursts through our comm devices so loudly it makes my ears ring. "What in the hell was that? Is everyone alright?" I ask. 

"Yeah, we're fine up here," Queen answers, "But I'm worried. I don't think that noise came from up here. Team, do you read? Hello?"

No response whatsoever. "Mona? What's going on down there?" I plead. Still nothing.

"Uhhh…" Skull speaks uneasily, "Oracle? From a tech point of view, what are the odds that every single one of their comm devices would go silent?"

"Astronomically small," she answers conclusively, "They all had batteries for days and had no issues when I checked them before we started…"

"I'm really worried about that bang noise we heard," Noir gulps. "It sounded like… an explosion… but that would mean…"

I don't like being in the dark like this. We have no clue what happened down there and now half of our team has gone silent. Please, let them all be alright… 

"Let's just bail, man!!" Skull shouts aggressively, "We need to get back down to the rest of the team and do something!"

"No good!" Oracle declines, and I can almost hear her shivering with anxiety through her voice, "Another group is coming from the other door on the west side. Six more of them. They've got us cornered on both sides!"

We're stuck up here while all hell breaks loose and the rest of our crew is in danger, or worse. Upset is an understatement for how I feel right now. These shadows better not have put a scratch on any of my friends. 

\---Music: [ Dark Skies [Low Key Version] (Metal Gear Rising) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GG9tAsL-tBU)\---

Damn it all. I am in no mood for this. But we have to focus on the immediate danger, first. "Oracle. Find the electric breaker in the room and wait for my signal. Skull, cover Oracle, she can't fight by herself."

"Roger that, Joker," she agrees.

"I'm on it, chief," Skull confirms with a strong sense of duty.

The door in the direction we entered from clicks, and then slams open, as the fourteen soldiers begin piling into the warehouse. "See, I _told_ you I saw the lights on in here!" a voice asserts.

"Couldn't it have been a rat or something?" a different guard argues.

"Dumbass, a rat isn't big enough to trigger the motion sensors," an authoritative voice booms. I hear some noises which sound like weapon safeties being turned off, and footsteps begin to echo. "Spread out and sweep the whole floor!"

The door in the direction we were headed swings open much the same, and more armed guards enter. We have to control their movement or they'll be on top of us completely. I have to take charge and get us the hell out of this. "Look. We don't have the luxury of time here. We make this quick and efficient," I command gravely with a whisper. "Queen, Noir. Climb the pallet racks and take the high ground. Keep your heads low so they don't see you."

"On it," Queen replies back with haste.

I'm already standing at the alarm at the wall, so my next move is hiding. When we throw down, there's a high chance one of them will try and trigger it. Unless we want the entire base to wake up, we can't let that happen. With myself in position now, we should all be set. "Oracle, did you find the breaker?"

"Yes sir!" she shoots back with confidence. 

"Good. Wait for my signal to cut the power. Let them start spreading out, but keep an eye on the radar. Noir, keep your eyes on the leader who just spoke up." 

"You can count on me," she agrees.

"Queen, do you think you'll still be able to see well enough to snipe once things go dark?"

"I'm a little rusty, but… well, I'll let my gun do the talking," she replies back grimly. The sound of her revolver's bullet chamber being spun and clicked into place tells me she's more than ready.

"Can you see their movements from up there?"

"They're still grouped together," Queen reports, "They're looking up and down the aisles on both sides, but none of them have broken off from formation, yet."

"Good. When the lights go down, pick off the ones that stray from the main group. On my mark, team."

We wait in chokingly tense anticipation for some time as the footsteps of boots echo uncomfortable and it becomes audibly apparent they are splitting up in many different directions.

Time to give the order. "Kill the lights."

\---Music: [ Dark Skies [Platinum Mix] (Metal Gear Rising) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7UVSupZ2ks)\---

Many different reactions from the guards, but all of them communicate surprise or confusion. "Queen, start the party."

The pitch blackness is disorienting enough, and the flashes from gunshots contribute to an even more chaotic environment. I hear two shots, and two hits.

"That was gunfire! TAKE COVER!" the leader of the group steps up, taking charge of the unit. I can tell from muffled radio noises that they are also using comm devices to relay orders to one another.

I hear clanks on metal which I recognize as Queen leaping from rack to rack to, and more gunshots ring as flashes in the dark. One of the guards loses their cool and lets off a volley of machine gun fire haphazardly, but Queen addresses that problem appropriately.

I know the team has this taken care of from here. This gives me some time to think. What in the hell is happening down there with the rest of the team? Please tell me it wasn't an actual explosion… maybe something is interfering with the signal? Could it have been an EMP explosive that caused their comms to die…? Shit, no matter what it was, an explosion is bad news. The enemy must know where they are. 

We have to wrap this up as fast as humanly possible. "Oracle, how many are left?"

"Fifteen!" she responds. "They've reached the center of the room and are trying to break off in different directions in pairs!"

"You're up Noir, lay some suppressive fire and cut off every route. Take out the ones you can, and keep the rest boxed where Queen can keep thinning the numbers."

Noir doesn't have to say a word to confirm that she heard me. The sound of explosions from her grenade launcher and screams from the shadows are enough of a receipt to let me know that my voice was loud and clear. By this point, the enemy is in shambles. 

"Sorry, one of them got out of my range of fire!" Noir apologizes, "He's headed your way, Oracle! Be careful!"

A crack from Skull's signature metal pipe is almost as loud as the gunshots and explosions. "No sweat," Skull exhales with a smug tone, "I've got her covered, remember?"

"How many now?" I ask.

"Nine!" Oracle replies.

Another gunshot. "Eight," Queen corrects.

As expected, one of them bolts towards the direction of the alarm where I'm waiting. "Is the one heading my way their leader?" 

"Yes!" Noir confirms.

He's running full sprint, desperately trying to reach the alarm to pull it. He's instead greeted by a hard faceplant to the ground, courtesy of me sticking out my leg to trip him. I kick his gun away and stomp on his back.

"Call them off," I order softly, aiming my gun at the back of his head.

"Go to hell!" he shouts before awkwardly trying to squirm away. 

I grit my teeth. "Looks like negotiating isn't an option. But at least I kept them away from the alarm."

"Bad news, Joker!" Oracle responds, "I see ten more headed towards the warehouse on the radar! We've probably made too much noise!"

\---Music: [ Laser Beam (Persona Q) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s34MmDgpuqI)\---

A siren outside of the warehouse blares loud enough for us to hear it clearly. Come _on_ . Are you _kidding_ me? 

The comm device of the shadow I'm pinning down starts speaking. "This is the Lieutenant to all units. We've captured a few of the intruders and are en route the holding cells. There are more intruders still down in the parking garage, but we have them pinned down. However, there are reports of gunfire in the warehouse. Send backup immediately! Over and out."

"Did I say ten?" Oracle second guesses, "Make that, er… twenty one, twenty two, twenty three… uh, a lot more!"

"How are we going to hold out against all of these guys?" Skull questions, and I hear blasts from his shotgun over his comm device. "They just keep coming!"

"We're not holding out here, we're leaving!" I convey strongly. "We're going to cut a path through them with whatever means necessary, and we're going straight to the parking garage. They're in danger down there."

Damn it all. The shadow under my foot starts laughing. "Leaving?! You think you can just leave?! What kind of idiots are you guys, trying to sneak into Fort Kaz, anyway?! You're going to end up dead, just like your friends!"

Though I've been standing on his back to hold him down, I'm starting to think his head is a more appealing target for my boot. A stomp is enough to shatter the mask on his face, and the rest of the shadow dissipates into mist as if it were never there. He left his assault rifle behind, at least. 

"Team, push forward to the west exit," I command, "Noir and Queen, clear a path for Skull and Oracle."

"What about you? You're the farthest from the rest of us," Queen speaks with concern, "I think at least one of us should cover you, too!"

I pick up the rifle with every intent to use it, and I start my sprint towards the direction of our exit. "Our friends are in danger, I'm pissed off, and I have a machine gun. Don't worry about me."

"What did I tell you about trying to take all the burden yourself?!" Queen snaps back angrily.

"I think Queen is right," Oracle agrees, "Plus, Skull and I can look out for ourselves! Ready for 'Operation: Adventure Galley,' Skull?! **_PERSONA!!_ **"

A flash of blue light. Oracle must have summoned Necronomicon… but her Persona has no combat abilities, how does she intend to---

Another blue flash. " **_CAPTAAAAAAIN KIDD!!_ **" Skull screams. His Persona is out too now. I can tell by the flashing bolts and cracks of electricity I can hear all the way over here. 

Shit, three guards turn the corner and cut me off, and they all aim their guns at me. Time to give this machine gun a spin--

… Well. I took down all three of them in an instant, but DAMN does my arm hurt. The kickback on that was crazy, how does Fox use these things consistently? This is why I prefer pistols… I toss the gun aside, as it's not going to be much use for me if I break my arm using it. 

This is not the time to get distracted, and not the time to lose my cool. I rocket as fast as my legs will move around the north perimeter wall of the warehouse while heading west. There are soldiers all over the place in the various alleyways between the racked shelves, but I am able to run fast enough to not give them any chances to fire at me. 

We've reached opposite ends of the west wall, and the exit door is in the middle. The door swings open and a few more shadows enter, but Noir clears all of them with one shot. "That was my last one! I'm out of ammo!" she calls, "We need to meet up at the door, quick!"

Queen and Noir both rapidly climb their way down from the top of the nearest shelves right around the time I get to the door. But where are Skull and Oracle…?

Looks like it's them turning the corner now... oh wow. Oracle's hiding inside of her UFO-shaped Persona, and Skull is standing on top of it riding it like a skateboard, and his Persona is out as well. Between Captain Kidd's cannons and Skull's shotgun, they are knocking enemies away like bowling pins and tearing a clear path for Oracle's Persona to fly right through. They're barreling through the enemy like a freaking tank! That's actually a badass combo move, I'm impressed.

"Alright, we're all here. Let's move, now!" I shout, swinging the door open, and we start to pile out of the warehouse.

\---(Music Fade)---

If there's one thing I hate more than anything on God's green Earth, it's being blinded by dozens of flashlights and spotlights from being completely surrounded by armed guards. 

\---Music: [ Return to Ashes [Instrumental] (Metal Gear Rising) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bap74Ie-lAY)\---

I slam the door back shut. Nope. Nope. Hell nope. We're not doing that again, last time I got burned. We're noping right on out of here.

Gotta think quick. "Noir, Queen, you two had the best vantage points. Did you see anything that could be used to escape? Air vents, sky lights, anything?"

"No… the only entrances are the doors on the east and west side," Queen answers with frustration.

"Then we have to backtrack east and hope we can run faster than their forces can close in on that side of the building too."

"Shit, man!" Skull curses, "There are still soldiers in the building in the aisles between the racks, they could get the jump on us if we go back that way!"

We'll see about that. I aggressively rip my mask off. " **_ARSENE!!_ ** " I shout, and he comes to my aide, ready for my command. " **_MAEIGAON!_ **" 

Time to show us your Adverse Resolve, Arsene. He pulls back his wings as if preparing catapults and dark energy spirals around them. With a powerful flap, the curse explodes from the tip of both his left and right wings, hitting the tall pallet racks on the left and the right side of us. As big as these gigantic shelves are, Arsene is bigger and badder; the shelves collapse violently like massive dominoes, crushing the shadows in between the aisles as they scream helplessly.

"Run, NOW!" I shout, and lead the team down the main aisle at lightning speed. A few guards were able to jump out of the way of the collapsing shelf racks, but my pistol makes for a suitable alternative. The two shadow soldiers remaining in our path go down no problem, and we continue rushing through. The door comes into sight, and we close in on it rapidly.

"Let me take the lead, Joker!" Noir takes charge, "Come, **_Milady!!_ **" 

Her Persona may be the only one with more firepower than Arsene or Kidd. She has a literal arsenal underneath that dress, which she makes use of. Between a storm of Gatling gun bullets and bazooka shells, the door--or what's left of it--is violently torn off of its hinges. We're able to burst out of the building without even slowing down.

_April 13th, 4:52 pm_

_Fort Kaz, South Area_

Now that we're outside, the base-wide alarm is mind-shakingly loud. There aren't any soldiers here, I guess because we're near the very bottom corner of the base now, and whatever barracks the shadows are coming from must be back in the other direction. The same soldiers who had us surrounded before are charging around the side of the warehouse to try and route us. 

However, the very same guard tower I had climbed before makes us all jump in our skin when a blaring spotlight focuses on all of us. Damn it. No matter where we go within the base, they're going to be right on our movements… 

The only solution may be to escape the base entirely. I think back to the fire escape routes I took a look over, but under this pressure of being chased, I can't really focus on the specifics of the locations. Can I try and find one of the exit routes from memory…?

\---(Music Fade Out)---

But now… I hear an unexpected voice, coming from the direction the soldiers are, as well as furious car honking. " **_OUT OF THE WAAAAAAYYYYY!!!!_ **" Mona is screaming!

\---Music: [ Light the Fire Up in the Night (P4 Side) ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMHVzuvRj4s)\---

We turn to see the oncoming army of shadows being tossed through the air and run over by none other than Mona, driving through them! Jackpot is behind the wheel, and it looks like everyone is inside the car, safe and sound! Thank goodness!

"Perfect timing, Mona!" I shout with the most genuine enthusiasm I've felt all day, waving my arms to show him where we are.

"YOU, TOO, GUYS! STAND BACK, I'M COMING THROUGH!" he calls to us, as well. That's… a bit concerning. Ok, yeah, it doesn't seem like he's stopping…? We all stand out of his path, and sure enough, he zooms right past us at full speed. What's he doing? He's driving at a curved angle, but it seems like his destination is the guard tower…

"BRACE YOURSELVES, PALS!!" I hear Jackpot warn, and he spins the wheel hard. Mona drifts so savagely that the ground sparks from the force of the spin, and in the process of doing a 180-degree spin, the side of the bus smashes against one of the guard tower's poles that was holding it up. " **_YEOWCH!!_ **" Mona cries, but I think they succeeded in what I can assume was their objective--that guard tower is going down.

The guard in the tower loses balance and falls out, practically splattering into black mist upon hitting the ground. The tower itself falls at an angle which causes it to crash against the high, concrete wall, bending it slightly and causing it to lean against the wall.

The side door swings open, and Panther and Ninja frantically gesture for us to get inside the car. "C'mon, hurry!" Ninja calls, and we respond by running as fast as we can and leaping right inside.

"You guys are lifesavers!" Oracle expresses joyously, though out of breath from all the running.

"Did I hit it at the right angle, Mr. Samurai?!" Jackpot asks like a kid expecting to be praised.

Samurai nods with his usual stern expression. "Indeed, perfectly. There's our ramp out of here, just as planned."

"Uh, one problem…" Hawkshaw gulps, "We thought the guard tower would be solid. This one is only a metal frame! How are we supposed to drive up this as a ramp…?"

"Hmhmhm," Fox laughs lightly, "A true eye for aesthetic looks not at what something is, but what something can _be_ ," he speaks with a positive grin. He hangs out of the open door of the bus, and pulls his mask off. " **_GOEMON, MABUFULA!!_ **" he commands, and his Persona emerges dynamically. With a wave of his arm, Goemon commands a sheet of ice to materialize, freezing a flat surface up the entire upward-facing side of the leaning tower, making a road for us! 

"Nice going, Fox!" Mona compliments, "This is the part where we leave, team!"

"On it!" Jackpot nods with a confident smile, backing the bus up slightly and driving a loop around the tower so we can get a running start.

"We're not done yet, Goemon!" Fox motions with a dynamic flourish of his arm, " **_Sukukaja!!_ **" he calls, casting the speed increase onto Mona. Good thinking!

We gain a good distance up the tower, but the wheels begin overspinning, and we start to lose traction, sliding back slightly. "S-Sorry, guys! No good! It's too slippery for me to get any further up…!!"

At this point the shadows are on us, and bullets are starting to fly haphazardly in our direction. 

Queen pulls off her mask as well. "Everyone, grab onto something tightly, this is going to get bumpy…"

Apparently Mona has back doors when in bus form? I didn't even know that. But, they swing open, nonetheless. Queen summons her uniquely motorcycle-formed Persona, and faces the bike our direction, letting the back tire of the cycle hang behind us and making contact with the ice sheet below. " **_Johanna, give us a boost! FREIDYNE!!_ **"

A burst of nuclear energy launches us up the rest of the tower at breakneck speed, as if we're a jet blasting off from a runway. We're over the wall and flying in the air in no time.

Hell. _Yes._ I'm so proud of this team. When we want to make a flashy exit, _we make a flashy exit_.

\---(Music Fade Out)---

I guess the next logical dilemma is how we're expected to survive a fall from this height while going this speed. This is probably going to hurt a lot. Hmm. I guess you have to take the good with the bad, sometimes.

"Time to bring it home, **_Zorro!!_ ** " Mona shouts with positively smug self-assuredness, "Why not soften this landing for us with a big gust of **_Magarula!_ **"

The mysterious masked swordsman Persona, Zorro, brandishes his rapier, and with rapid flicks of the wrist, summons up a storm of strong winds, cushioning our impact considerably. Great work, Mona!

"Alright, we're out of the Facade, now!" Hawkshaw reminds us with urgency, "Ninja, cut that thing off and get us out of here!"

"You got it!" she nods, tinkering with the Little Thief for a matter of seconds before the Metaverse around us fades away like a dissipating hologram. 

_April 13th, 5:00 pm_

_Outside Kaz Mizusawa's Office_

We're back in the real world, now all standing at the sidewalk in front of the building of Mizusawa's office. All of us are panting so heavily from exhaustion and excitement that we can't even speak for a time. Morgana even takes the opportunity to lay out on his back, limbs outstretched, as if he's totally out of steam.

Gumshoe is the first to speak. "So, uh, I'm not the best at Japanese, but… heck were those words you guys kept shouting even Japanese?? Do Personas speak a weird language or something?"

I chuckle a bit. I suppose the names of skills in the Metaverse do sound pretty ridiculous to those who haven't heard them before.

Our allies who have been waiting nearby in their cars have at this point noticed us. Sojiro, Sae, and Mishima all run up to us with heavy concern. "Are you all alright?! What happened?!" Sojiro questions with a mix of shock and relief.

We're all pumped up from the rush, so I explain for everyone else. "Well, things went south pretty hard, but at least we're out of it and everyone is ok."

However, some of the team look pretty morose. Upset, even. Edgeworth is clenching his fists tightly and I can tell he's barely able to keep his cool despite what looks to be anger. He steps off to the side, away from the group, causing concern from Kay. Gumshoe doesn't look to be faring any better, and seems downright depressed.

With his back turned towards us, Edgeworth brings his fist down and smashes it against the hood of his vehicle.

Gumshoe nervously tries to calm his friend. "H-Hey, hey, Mr. Edgeworth, I know you're upset, but you don't have to take it out on the rental car…"

Edgeworth turns back around to face us, and he's deadly serious. "We have to go back."

Phoenix and Maya--

*!*

…

… Wait.

"Uh… where are Phoenix and Maya…?" I ask with hesitation.

… Oh no.

_ACT EIGHT END._

_Would you like to save your game?_

_Yes No_


End file.
